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5 NBA Free Agents That Will Be Overpaid

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The NBA free agent frenzy is underway. Everyone is awaiting LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony and where they will end up. Signings are being made, but much more are expected to come after the two biggest names come off the board. There will be plenty of names on the move this summer, but there will always be some that get much more money than they deserve. Let’s take a look at the five NBA free agents that will be overpaid.

Greg Monroe (Photo Credit: Scott Cunningham/NBAE via Getty Images)

1. Greg Monroe

Reports say that there is a chance Greg Monroe could get a maximum deal. I’m sorry, but what’s with young, unproven players getting ridiculous contracts? Monroe is a developing big man, but he was not a dominant big man. He’s got to be a double-double every night and he needs to start blocking shots. The 6-11′ power forward still needs to prove himself before he can get a max contract. He’s also been rumored to say that he wants Josh Smith gone if he stays in Detroit. Good luck trying to move that contract. Monroe would be better off getting a one-year deal to prove to the league that he could be a top-five big man. Enough with these absurd contracts to 23-24-year-olds.

Avery Bradley (Photo Credit: Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)

2. Avery Bradley

Reports are saying that Avery Bradley has agreed to a four-year, $32 million contract to remain with the Boston Celtics. Bradley had a solid season with Rajon Rondo missing more than half the season. He became a solid backcourt defender. $8 million a year, though? He put up just over an assist per game. The 23-year-old is still young and developing and he might have got paid too soon. With Marcus Smart and James Young now in the fold, the Celtics now have a crowded backcourt, especially if they keep Rondo.

3. Gordon Hayward

A maximum deal for Gordon Hayward? Are you kidding me? Don’t get me wrong. Hayward is a good player, but a max deal for him? The Cleveland Cavaliers have been rumored to be interested in giving the 24-year-old a max contract. His numbers have gotten better every year and he is still young. He averaged 16, 5, and 5 last season. He did it with a Jazz team that needed somebody to score. His numbers were definitely a little bit inflated with a horrible Utah team. Don’t expect him to put up numbers much better than last year with a better team, especially if he signs with Cleveland. They have some guy there named Kyrie.

Lance Stephenson (Photo Credit: Issac Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images)

4. Lance Stephenson Lance Stephenson became a pivotal piece to the Pacers puzzle last season, but he also became a huge distraction. The team offered Stephenson a deal that is what he truly is worth at five years and $44 million. The problem is that the 23-year-old shooting guard wants more than that. Stephenson has made too many storylines for reasons not pertaining to basketball that he’s really not worth more than $10 million a year. He’s got to prove that he won’t be a head case in the locker room before he gets the deal that he desires.

Trevor Ariza (Photo Credit: Ron Hoskins/NBAE via Getty Images)

5. Trevor Ariza

Trevor Ariza’s future with the Wizards is still up in the air. Washington just gave Marcin Gortat a five-year, $60 million deal and multiple teams are interested in Ariza. We can now call Ariza a 29-year-old journeyman. He’s played with six different teams in his 10 NBA seasons. He had arguable the best season of his career and helped the Wizards get to the Eastern Conference Semifinals. The problem is Ariza’s inconsistency. He might be able to get a similar number to what Gortat does, but is not worth that kind of money. This was only his fourth season averaging double figures, and he’s never truly been able to stay healthy. He’s only played more than 70 games in five of his 10 seasons in the league. Let’s not get overhyped on Ariza for a solid season with the Wizards. Teams should be hesitant on giving him a long-term, big-money deal.